Rising of the Dragons' Dawn
by Ally Lei
Summary: Sakura was chosen and destined to be the lover of the Dragon Prince, Syaoran, only she doesn't know it. Join her as she develops a crush, deals with jealous dragons and men as well as have her life threatened by the rising evil creatures of the shadows. A
1. The Calling

Rising of the Dragons' Dawn

By Ally Lei

Disclaimer: I don't own CardCaptors, their names, or the name Avatre.

Chapter: Prolouge

Rain splattered on the wet earth as thunderous clouds rumbled above. Sounds of droplets drumming the leaves of the trees filled the forest as the force of the rain marginally increased, sending a signal to all animal that they had better take cover. Maybe that was a good thing for the young girl struggling through the underbrush. As animals scrambled to find shelter, she was left alone to trudge through the forest in a daze.

Alone.

She was alone in every sense of that word. Just a couple of days ago her whole family died in the fire that devastated her village. Her friends died as well and as far as she knew she didn't have any of relations still living. The six year girl however didn't get any farther than that thought when the numbness set in, when everything lost focus. That shock, that daze had set her astray. For a day she wondered the country side filled with wheat waiting to be harvested but never to be. She wondered until she felt an unexplainable tug that she was compelled to follow. She didn't try to resist it because the tug gave her a sense that someone wanted her, that someone was waiting to care for her.

It was a good thing she didn't try to resist it either because that tug wouldn't let her go anywhere but to where it called the girl. It would have overridden every sense she had until she was a mindless puppet running to the caller. They had something in mind for her.

So she tracked through farmland, plains, and now forest for a day, going west towards the mountains. Where the dragons were rumored to be. . .

Far away, a form perched on a stone cliff in the mountains. Its great eyes were closed as it concentrated on the little form stumbling through the forest. It knew there was a little girl in that forest because it sensed it. It knew what was going on. The great beast knew that the girl, a young innocent child, was being pulled to the mountains. What she could not figure out was why the girl was being called. She was just a two-legger after all. Her kin had over the centuries discovered that humans believed in the inexplicable belief that everything had to be good and just in the world. Common sense was not prevalent, obviously, among their species because that notion was a ludicrous naïve belief. Nothing was all good and just as they believed but instead tainted by the Powers.

However, the beast's kin had come to grudgingly respect humans because they were willing to fight to their races' death for that same belief. Humans may not be some of the brightest creatures ever to grace Life, but they did have the courage, the determination, and the unwavering love for Justice and Freedom to push back all forces who would wish to conquer them. It was actually those reasons that made humans stumble upon the Powers quite by accident. They weren't powerful enough to go up against one of the beast's ken but many of the lesser and middle creatures of the Powers would hesitate or flat out run away instead of pick a fight with one of their 'Sorcerers', 'Sorceresses', 'Magicians', 'Witches', or whatever they call them.

Which led the beast's thought in a full circle, back to the little girl. She had tipped three times now and the soft Power aura wavered and flickered around her.

After some mental debating and sensing of the girl starved condition, the great beast opened its eyes and rose onto its legs. She unfolded and stretched her great wings and with a mighty downward thrust hurled herself off the cliff and into the pouring rain. If the young child was being called by her kin, the least she could do was help the girl. Even if she didn't completely understand their reasoning.

* * *

It wasn't a long flight to the forest but it was miserable. The rain had picked up as well as the wind and if she didn't have the experience of a whole century in traversing storms, she suspected the winds would have buffeted her wings out of control. She thanked her luck that soon she would have the girl and be riding the winds back to her lair with her burden. She only hoped the rain wouldn't pick up.

She soon saw the darkening of forest below her but the girl's presence was still quite a little ways away. She hadn't realized how far or how hard it would be to land to get the girl when she started this journey. She hoped the girl would be in a clearing where she could land instead of crashing through scratching branches. She would rather not have to deal with sore abrasions on her scales or possibly pierced scales. If she recalled correctly her blood would burn human skin for whatever reason (she supposed it was because her kin were just too powerful for the 'poor' humans). If you couldn't already tell this beast and her kin were very vain creatures but also loyal ( in a roundabout way).

Huge multihued eyes (meaning her eyes were the same color, only there were different shades of the color in them) noted the small herd of deer as she passed over a grove. They would do nicely to staunch the girl's hunger. Did she need one of them or maybe she should take one for herself.

The flying beast was so lost in her debate of how many deer she should seize that she flew over the girl before she even realized the six year old was down there. Cursing herself on her absentmindedness, she doubled back and realized that fate was indeed on her side for the girl was on the edge of a small clearing. Actually it couldn't even be termed a clearing but in fact a small grove. It would be a tight fit but she believed that she could land safely. Which she did with a low swoop and a folding of her wings.

The dirty child didn't even look up from the moving ground when the great beast landed with a rustle. Instead she was lost in her unending and mind-numbing daze. Just a couple of minutes ago she had stopped for a moment and wondered briefly where she thought she was going. The consequences of that action took immediate effect and a haze was settled onto her mind to give no more chances of questioning. The girl had to answer her call whether she wanted to or not.

In fact she was so lost in her mind that she nearly bumped into the scaled chest of an unidentifiable beast. Instantly her mind took over and produced the long living emotion of fear. She backed up, nearly stumbling over a rock. That small unbalancing was all it took for the beast to snap out its right claw and for it to gently close around the girl's form. Almost instantly the girl passed out from fear, hunger, and exhaustion. She went limp in the beast's claws but not before she registered what had grabbed her and the last thought on her mind was about dragons.

Specifically about the dragon now carrying the girl in her claw. She actually was grateful that the girl had fainted so she didn't have to deal with the child's squirming.

Riding the wind, she came upon the herd of deer and swooped low to pluck two of them off the ground before they all scattered. She reasoned that the girl might be hungrier than she looked which was saying a lot because the small frame almost resembled the gauntness of extreme malnutrition by her judgment.

As she winged back to her nest, she soon felt the soft tug of a calling and so did the girl for her limbs moved of seemingly their own accord and she threw herself against the great beast claws. Now that she felt the calling spell she knew immediately what was happening. The girl was being called to the Egg Chamber; she was being called to quicken ad hatch an egg. But whatever for the female dragon could not figure out. It was rare that a human, much less a human girl-child, would be called. Usually the only times that happened was when the human had a extraordinary Power and destiny that would benefit the dragons as well as the races of the world.

Lost in her thoughts, the dragon didn't realize that she had slowly adjusted her direction and was now heading for the middle of the mountain chain that divided the land. She tried to turn back to her roost but the call in her heart nearly sent her tumbling in the winds. Slowly she regained her bearings and decided it would be wise to visit her old friend, the Egg Keeper, Avatre. Maybe she could help her with her dilemma.

Mindful of her three passed out passengers (or maybe the deer gave themselves heartattacks) and the storm she found a current that would take her to her desired place. Almost instantly she felt relief as the tug eased and she felt immense satisfaction from the caller as well as from the little girl in her claw. In fact, the little girl radiated so much relief that the dragon's heart clenched in sympathy for the very fate tried girl.

She also supposed it was an immense relief to the girl to actually be rid of the persistant call.

* * *

So how was it?

This is just a prologue and thus it is shorter but the following chapters will be longer, I promise.

Also there might be some confusion so I would like to briefly summarize this chapter.

Ok the little girl is Sakura because this is a SxS romance and I think you can guess the caller.

The beast, creature was a dragon and since this fic is high fantasy there will be more of them. In fact this fic will be centered around dragons.

If that's not your cup of tea, I thank you for reading very much but suggest you move on ( though if you are reading this then you also know that the heroine is from a show that has magical wands and cards, lol )

To those of you who do like this story, I thank you for reading and would greatly appreciate it if you review me and tell me what you think.

Thanks again,

Ally Lei


	2. The Meeting

Rising of the Dragons' Dawn

By Ally Lei

Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptors or the name Avatre.

Whenever the sharp flashes of lightening flashed, eerie shadows of the mountains were produced. The shadows provided cover for evil to scourge the land in search of lives, souls, and power. All evil wants is to conquer; to conquer, rule, then destroy. It wants this because that is its nature, its very essence of life, if you could call what they live a life.

Evil likes to pillage and plunder. To drive deep into the hearts of man and cause them turmoil, grief, hatred, anger, frustration, lust, and many more emotions that would cause man to dive into madness. And while this is happening, the evil creatures feed off their emotions, their actions, and their soul. They grow stronger everyday as a new person turns. Once a human or creature turns it is very hard to turn them back. To make them love and feel again is next to impossible, so the darkness in the land survives much to the despair of those who are affected by it.

However, as a new person is born everyday, a new love is born, a new pure life created, unharmed by the taint of evil. This in turn weakens the evil creatures so much so that they could not advance in destruction as they would have liked. This frustrated the creatures to no end as they wanted to corrupt and rule every living being.

So this in an effect was a balance. Everyday someone turned and everyday a life was created pure of heart.

At least according to the humans.

The Dragon Kin however knew the real truth, the real side of the world no one else ever suspected. There was no 'evil' in the land. Everything, from bad deeds to worse deeds, was tainted and corrupted Power or the lust for the Powers. That was what really drove men to madness in an eggshell.

Men, dragons, and animals alike were all tainted and corrupted with Power from the day they were born but it was only a matter of how they used the Power, that energy to do good, bad, and everything in between. The only thing that the humans had right was that everything was basically on a balance and if ever one side shoved more they would gain more 'ground', more abilities and opportunities. Currently the balance was wobbling back and forth, from one side to the other, and the Dragon Kin didn't like it.

They in fact were trying at this very moment to figure out a way to tip the balance in their favor or at least level it. They had already deployed many ideas but none of them worked. In fact they all seemed to tip the scale in the other direction with them on the low point. Tainted Powers were taking over little by little and the rare Foreseeing Dragons saw that they would take over completely in the next twenty years if something couldn't stop them or at least check them.

The dragon flying through the pounding rains and strong winds hoped that she had found the key or at least a helping hand in the little girl held lightly in her claw. During the long flight, she had time to think and contemplate. Whenever she could fly safely without watching out for dangerous torrents, she thought about why the girl was being called and more importantly who could be that strong enough to not only call the girl but also a fully grown, powerful dragon from that far away. The amount of Power needed for such a call was so mind boggling that she couldn't see any one of her fellow dragons actually attempting the call; which left her with her original thought that the girl-child was being called to quicken and hatch an egg. But that left her with the question of which egg could have that much Power. It had to be one of the 'major' eggs, the eggs that when hatched could grow to the size of a small hill depending on how old they were, and they also could have every Power at their calling.

A small idea came to mind and a small but heartfelt hope began to grow but the female dragon quickly squashed it down. If He was going to be quickened and hatched it could not be by this little human girl; though right about now the dragon bet that anything wound be welcomed to get Him to hatch.

But it could be couldn't it?

She would find out soon enough as she spied the ledge and opening to the Egg Lair. Flapping powerfully she was able to hover for a moment to judge how she was going to land without hurting herself or the girl. And the deer, if they were still alive, which wasn't likely. Making a decision she swooped in low and tossed the deer into the cave, freeing up a claw. Climbing high and circling in she lined herself up with the ledge and then snapped her wing close to her body, relying on the wind to move her to the ledge as she dropped... If anyone was watching they would have thought the mighty beast was going to crash into side of the mountain below the ledge but at the last moment she unfurled her wing and with a half sweep down she was able to push herself up and onto the ledge.

Landing on her back legs was difficult to say the least but this dragon was used to picking up unwary food and then land with it still alive. It was a game to her when she was young and she still practiced the trick occasionally.

Settling down with her front right claw held in the air like she had a sore wound she walked into the cave. Actually it looked like a cave but really it was a tunnel, a long tunnel with traps and tricks along the designed to stop anybody who shouldn't be there form finding the most valuable of all treasure the dragons had. Eggs.

Traversing the tunnel was an easy feat for the dragon because she had been there many times to not only lay eggs (she's laid two nest of four eggs each; something this dragon was proud of) but to also seek the wisdom of the Egg Keeper Avatre. Nothing in the tunnel was unexpected, nothing jumped out at that was mysterious, dangerous, or amazing which she realized she was expecting. Something in her gave way but whether it was relief or disappointment she couldn't tell you.

Nothing happened in the tunnel but something extraordinary did happen at the mouth of the cave where Avatre resided. Just as she was about to step up and say the password that would allow her to pass through unharmed, she was frozen to her stance. Stationed to the floor, unmoving, she couldn't even twitch a muscle or cast a counter spell because whoever did this blocked her mind. She hoped the spell didn't stop the girl from breathing. Oh, Stars, she hoped the girl didn't die, not now, not when she was so close to finding out what was going on. There was also a little niggling hope that they could finally restore the Dragon Monarchy.

She felt herself examined from her Power to her physical form, nothing was missed by dragons. Possibly five powerful dragons were in the cave. Briefly she thought it was most likely very crowded in the cave with five dragons, about to be six dragons and one girl-child, but that thought disappeared as the Stationary spell was removed and she was allowed to pass through without saying the password.

Inside she was met with feelings of high anxiety and distressed stances. Obviously something was going on. Unconsciously she held the claw holding the girl closer to her body in protection. Already she cared for this girl even though she didn't know why. She felt compelled to protect this fragile being from anything that would cause her harm. Briefly, she felt, once again, the small surge of hope as she recognized the characteristic of old. She ruthlessly squashed it down. Something like that was not going to happen. He would have awoken by now if it was.

The cave was large in the standards of dragons, able to fit ten dragons comfortably in the room. Small globes of light circled throughout the room, lighting the dark chamber. The lights passed by the other dragons in the cave, showing bright flashes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, all standing side by side in order like a giant lizard rainbow. Each color was magnificent.

Avatre was standing to the right of her and the dragon admired her coloring as she had done in the past. The Egg Keeper had scales of a deep purple fading down into a bright pink like the dawn of the morning; compared to the dragon's own all dark blue hide, Avatre looked like she was a queen . Avatre stood for 'dawn' and the dawn for a dragon symbolized new beginnings and new beginnings in turn stood for new lives, hence the Keeper of the Eggs. Out of eggs came baby dragons with new lives. This position was a very significant for it meant that you could not under any circumstances mate and you had to care and protect the eggs with your very life if danger arose. If something were to happen that you could not control, you were to use your life force to transport all of the eggs to a designated safe place. Particularly one egg.

The dragon carrying the girl bowed (bent her front legs and lowered her head a bit) to the Egg Keeper as was customary and then to the other six dragons in the cave (she had miscounted, and it really was crowded in the cave) as she realized they were the six Great Elders of the six clans. She recognized her own clan's Elder with glowing pale blue scales as she bowed to him. Her clan consisted of mostly blue colored dragons, from a light blue bordering on white to a deep blue color that looked black. The same went with the other clans. They were separated into the seven colors of the rainbow and the Elder held the highest position in their clan.

But then there were the odd colorings like Avatre's whom had both purple and pink. These coloring were rare but when they did happen they usually had great Power and depending on how they used that Power, they were usually given high and important duties of the Dragon Order. Avatre was Elder of this clan but she did not have the highest position possible for the clan. Instead that position was held by the Dragon's Emperor or Prince depending on the case.

This gave her another little thrill as she thought about it. Adopting a casual but respective stance she gently touched minds with every dragon in the room with careful guarding on her inner thoughts and feeling.

"_So sorry to disturb your meeting but I come as a deliverer to a call."_ She mind spoke to them. She let them feel the regret but she also put in urgency so that they knew she bore important news.

"_Quite alright Celia. This actually wasn't an important meeting but merely a contemplation meeting." _Avatre's soft voice but steeled voice (Celia supposed it cam with the job over time) resonated through her mind silently asking why Celia was there but not willing to probe Celia's mind.

"_May I ask why this was a 'contemplation meeting'?"_

"_You may and since it is a reasonable question I will answer to the best of my ability. The eggs are restless. Since they are not part of this world they are more sensitive to things we are oblivious to. We think it is because something is about to happen. Something big but what we do not know." _Her Elder answered her in a tone that suggested great excitement and Celia couldn't really blame him. After all, He might decide to hatch soon.

"_What about the Prince, is he restless?" _Celia questioned.

"_No, he is calm. So calm, in fact, that I get the feeling that everything is going his way. He feels as though he could stay contented for eternity for whatever reason which isn't unusual but it is almost as though he is immensely satisfied by something, which is unusual." _Answered Avatre in her soft voice but this time Celia got the impression that she was confused.

"_Also, for the past two days we have been feeling a calling spell from both of the Egg Chambers but whenever we go near the Chambers we can't feel the spell to locate the source. It was almost as if the eggs were pooling their Powers together to create a very very powerful calling spell. Do you possibly have an answer to these unexpected and tremendous events?" _said Heart's Flame, Elder of the Red Dragon Clan. He was a deep maroon red with age but still magnificent to look at. He obviously suspected why Celia was there, but didn't know what she had brought to be 'delivered'.

"_I believe I might have a key, Elder. Just a few hours ago I sensed a human girl-child not but a couple of dragon's lengths from my lair. She was heading straight for the mountains, towards the middle, as though she knew exactly were to go. I also felt a calling spell and assumed someone was calling her. I took pity on the girl and went to help her for she was malnutritioned and cold from the rain." _Here she paused to see if she did the right thing. She was confirmed on her belief with nods from many of the Elders. Some, though, didn't seem particularly thrilled with her rescue she noted.

"_I had picked up two deer, intending to feed and warm her at my lair. Oh, and those deer are at the tunnels entrance, out of the rain. Anyway as I was heading towards my nest when I realized I wasn't flying to my nest, I was flying here! I, of course, tried to alter my course but when I tried something stabbed into my mind and I was forced to continue flying here. Only once I willingly flew here under my own power did the pain recede and I got the sense that the caller was pleased with the development. Almost, as you said Avatre, as if the caller was immensely satisfied." _Celia explained.

"_And where is this girl-child now?" _Asked Avatre

"_Right here, in my claw. When the caller stabbed my mind, she jerked and threw herself at my claw. I think she knocked herself unconscious." _Celia extended her leg and set it on the ground in front of her with the talons just touching the floor. Wings shifted a bit throughout the room, displaying everyone's excitement and nervousness and Avatre couldn't really blame them. If what they were discussing before really was going to happen, they were going to be the first ones to see their Prince's Consort (though she bet that they were disappointed that it wasn't going to be a Queen., the human that was called to hatch him, to be his lifetime friend, and eventually his mate.

Humming reverberated about the room as the elderly dragons looked on.

Celia slowly opened her claw slowly, being careful of the girl's head so it didn't hit the stone floor hard. Once her claw was fully opened, she drew back her leg and stood on it naturally. Silence spread throughout the room as not a single dragon shifted or even blinked as they stood in awe of the little girl.

The girl looked about six years old and scrawny; they could see her ribs through her drenched rags. Her hair was brown color that would no doubt dry a lighter color, and her skin was tan with many gashes and scrapes inflicted upon her through her trek to the mountains. All in all quite plain and skinny, there was nothing magnificent about her, nothing overall amazing about her looks. But each dragon felt compelled to just stare in complete awe as if she was the most magnificent being in the world.

Not a few hopes were raised throughout the room as they looked upon her. Avatre was the first gain her senses and she looked amusedly at the Elders. Each dragon was in the stance of surprise, the closest Expression Stance (since dragons can't really move their facial features that much they adopt 'stances', each expression, emotion, or feeling can be transmitted to other dragons by selecting the appropriate pose) to awe. Doubts were eradicated as hopes were raised and she realized that things would begin to change really soon for all of them if the Prince was indeed going to hatch.

Turning back to Celia, who was looking down on the girl with pride and joy as if the girl was her own dragonet, she realized that Celia's color was a dull dark blue showing how hungry and tired she was. Calling attention of the Dragon Council, who stared at her dazedly she noted amusedly, she connected minds once again.

"_Celia you are very tired from your long flight. Take those deer you brought and eat them yourselves, you need it. Then rest in one of the open chambers. Stay overnight and when you are rested you may return to your nest and mate."_

Celia looked at her appreciatively and Avatre got the feeling of intense thanks. Before she went though she looked down on the girl again and promised:

"_I will come at your call and protect you, little one. May you not need me but I will answer."_

The child, as though sensing the thought, smiled briefly. Celia backed out and turned down the tunnel.

Back in the cave, Avatre stretched her neck out to peer into the girl's face, to find some hint at who she was and how much Power the child possessed.

Her hot breath must have awoken the girl for she stirred and opened her eyes.

She looked up at the beast's head and did the only thing a reasonably sane child would do.

She screamed.

* * *

So how was it?

I know this is going slow but is it good so far? Please tell me!

Oh, some of you might be a bit thrown off by the 'Prince's Consort', and 'Prince's Queen' comment made by Avatre.

See a Prince's Queen is a dragon and a Prince's Consort is a human. They both have the same duties and respect but they have different names.

Ok some of you might be confused but can you guess who the girl is? What about the Prince? The caller?

I received a review asking me if I have ever read Eragon by Christopher Paolini. And I would just like to say that I have. Eldest, the sequel to Eragon comes out August 30th. I also recommend Mercedes Lackey's Joust, Alta, and Sanctuary. Jane Yolen's Dragon's Blood, Heart's Blood, and A Sending of Dragons were not bad but I personally felt it could have been better. Anne McCaffery's Pern series is pretty good but my favorite is Dragonflight. Elizabeth Kerner's Song in the Silence is okay. Dragonspell was pretty good but I can't remember the author. There are a lot more I can't think of but if you have any recommendations please tell me.


	3. The Testing

Rising of the Dragons' Dawn

By Ally Lei

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own CardCaptor Sakura or any of its names. I also don't own the name Avatre.

Avatres snapped her head back and swung it like a pendulum, trying to shake out the child's piercing scream that was ringing in her head; her ears were oversensitive by human standards. The scream echoed around the cavern, bouncing off the stone walls and coming back in full force to the dragon's ear. Avatre couldn't hear anything other then the girl's screaming lungs but she could guess that her fellow Elders were similarly affected; all dragons' ear are very sensitive. Oh, Light! Make her stop!

Abruptly as the shrieking started, it stopped. Avatre waited for a few more minutes to let the ringing notes fade away to a much more tolerable tone and then opened her eyes to find the cause of the girl's halt. Laying on her back the girl had her mouth wide open as if imitating the scream she had just ended. Her eyes were shut and squeezed tightly, blocking off the jewels of emerald that had flashed so briefly. All in all, the girl looked as though she was still screaming.

Confusing as it was, she had some idea what had happened, and raising her head, she met the eyes of Heart's Flame, the Elder of the Red clan; this confirmed her guess.

Apparently Heart's Flame, being the deafest of those present in the cavern (she amusedly supposed that his deafness was because of his clan's fiery tempers and temper tantrums; she had actually seen one of these tantrums between two young dragons and when asked she would just say that she was still waiting to get her physical hearing back), had gathered his wits after the initial shock and quickly cast a small silencing spell. The spell made a metaphorical bubble around her head that would absorb any sound produced from within. She silently wondered at his practiced ease of the casting but dropped it for later amusement.

She shifted her gaze to the brilliant orange dragon on the red's right. Flame of the Sun, affectionately called Sunny, was still swinging his head back and forth but gently, as if calming him-self. He always was a bit skittish and old age didn't help at all. Next to him was the female dragon Star's Light, the Elder of the Yellow clan. Her scales were a bright pale yellow; they were so bright that when the sun shone upon her, she glowed like the brightest star in the night sky. She, too, was a bit unnerved but then again the fiery colors were always quick to raise their tempers and to scare into action.

Those three dragon's moods were vastly different from the three dragons that curved to Avatre's left. Barkim ( a hunter green color), the Elder of the Green clan, Nightshade (deep, almost black blue female), and Rikkanian (royal purple), affectionately called Rik by fellow Elders were all shifting around trying to find that comfortable position they were in before the child's disturbance. The three dragons were calm, barely startled from the scream; Nightshade almost seemed to be in a bored pose, with her head lying on the ground and her tail stretched out behind her. They were a much more composed then the other three and her-self.

The girl was still screaming when she dropped her gaze but the child's eyes were partially open, curious as to why she was not being eaten or tortured. Avatre supposed she would scream her voice into silence if nothing stopped her and while that might be no great loss, the girl still had to pass a test and the test required her to use her voice.

She would also be a nuisance in the coming months if her throat was sore.

Tentatively, Avatre connected with the child's thoughts and sub-planted feelings of warmth, comfort, and calmness. She didn't actually want to speak with the child; instead she found that showing her intentions with feelings would calm the child down more sufficiently. It always worked with young ones and this girl was no exception. Slowly the small mouth closed as the girl reveled in the sense of comfort, the sense of belonging.

Her body relaxed, suddenly, and the mouth opened again in a gapping yawn as if overcome with exhaustion and Avatre remembered that the child had been found wondering the countryside for the Powers know how long. No doubt it had been a horrifying and tiring trip for she had been unable to rest to eat, sleep, or even drink. The young body was now feeling the effects and about an hour or so worth of rest was not enough to replenish the girl-child's body with energy needed to stay awake.

Quickly Avatre strengthened their connection so she could mind-speak with the child and adopting her most grand-motherly tone she spoke:

"_It is alright child; you are among friends."_ That was enough to reassure the child and hesitantly the girl's mind grasped Avatre's. The Egg Keeper secondarily started at this display of unexpected control of Power. She then heard a small whisper in the back of her mind.

"_Where am I? Where is Mama and Papa and Touya?" _It was the child's voice of fearfulness and reluctance. Fearfulness of the answer to her questions and reluctance to ask the strange beast that sat in front of her. Multi-colored eyes gave a warning glance to the waiting Elders; they were not to interrupt this momentousconversation. Putting aside surprise and eagerness for the future she answered the child as best she could.

"_We do not know where your family is child but we will do everything we can to find them. Just tell your name and where you live or landmarks and we will help you find your family."_ So we can ask them (or order them) to give you up to your destiny, Avatre silently finished in the recess of her mind.

"_My name is Sakura Kinomoto. I live in Star's Landing," _The choked, light voice responded. Astonishment befell the pink and purple dragon as she realized who this could be. This couldn't be his daughter……could she?

"_Quick child! What is your father's name?" _Avatre lost her comforting tone to an anxious and hopeful voice

"_What?...Oh, my papa's name is…is…is Fujitaka Kinomoto and Mama's name is Nadeshiko Kinomoto." _The girl's voice was now confused but Avatre didn't explain she just looked up in absolute wonder at the other dragons filling the room.

This girl was the daughter of the direct descendant Clow Reed, the great and most powerful human magician of all time. And her mother! She had Elvin blood running through her veins. By the Stars! This child was on her way to being a human even Avatre would hesitate to take on.

'Star's Landing' she said. Wasn't that the small village that just burnt down a couple of days ago? The little niggling thought found its way to the front of the reptile's brain and made its way through the link before she could pull back the though. The girl caught and read it, her eyes squinting in unshed tears as she realized her parents were probably gone.

Oh no! Don't let her cry! No! No! No!

"_Don't cry, child, they are in a better place than this one. And if they did good throughout their life they will comeback to a life of happiness."_ Avatre quickly comforted the orphaned child.

"_I know they are in a better place but it still hurts. What will I do with out them?"_ The five year old child had surprising comprehension of such things but then again her parents no doubt told her should something happen to them. She was actually taking this surprisingly well but then again a Consort has to be able to deal with devastating news; it was one of their customary traits.

"_You will stay here with me. I will be sure to feed you and care for you because you see I am also lonely. No one is here to talk to me, to laugh with me, and to comfort me as well"_ Playing the kindred spirit part was easy because in truth the nanny dragon was lonely. She couldn't have a mate to be by her side and there was only so much caring and talking to eggs that needed to be done in a day; most of the time she was lost in memories about days long past. The girl believed it with all her heart and now satisfied that that little problem was solved she was itching to fall into her dreams of her loving family, now being reborn with happier lives then they were blessed with.

"_Wait, child, don't fall asleep just yet. I know you are weary from your travels but you need to walk to your room where there is a much more comfortable bedding then the stone cold floor."_ She had to take the test now. It couldn't be put off! Come on little one but you can't stay unless you are inducted, Avatre thought. The Elders won't stand for it.

"_Do I have to?"_ The girl's voice sounded every bit as whiny as her age suggests

"_Yes. You can't stay here while the others and I are having an important meeting." _The small head lifted a little as she realized there were indeed other dragons in the body-warmed cave. Sighing with reluctance and put down spirit, the girl struggled to lift herself off the claw-scratched floor and onto her tiny feet. With that down she looked petulantly at the female dragon in front of her, silently ordering the dragon to lead the way with all of her childish haughtiness. Avatre was amused by this display and let it slide. Proper respect and manners would come later.

* * *

With an echoing click of her claws, Avatre lead a parade consisting of one bone-weary girl and six elderly dragons. The test Avatre had in mind was a relatively simple one but very significant and symbolic. If the girl-child did not pass this test it would be hard for the kingdom to recognize her as Consort and trust their Prince.

"I'm tired." Stated the little girl with feeling. "What is your name?"

Hoping that her answer would distract the girl from her fatigue, Avatre answered. Her answer satisfied the child for a few more steps but then the inevitable question came.

"A-va-tr-aa, are we there yet?"

"_No but it is not far. See glowing light in the tunnel. That is where we are going."_ Responded the put-upon dragon.

"Oh"

They walked in silence from then on with only the rustling of moving bodies and the clicking of metallic claws on the stone floor to hear. It was somberly dark as Avatre lead them down the passageway, dismantling every trap and trick that stood in their way with magic and silent commands.

Finally they reached the glowing mouth of the entrance to the Minor Egg Chamber. Avatre shuffled aside to let Sakura go through first. Sakura stepped through the opening with awe as she watched the glowing protective runes dismantle, change, and reform again in another protective spell. The whole room was covered in them; all glowing an eerily blue color. Avatre felt the familiar, small surge of pride as the auburn haired head swiveled on its neck, eager to catch all of the runes at work. Generations of Egg Keepers had laid their own most powerful spell into the walls of this cave. Each and every rune was a spell that would constantly change to suit and counter the dangers of the world. Their job was to protect one of the most precious treasures of all treasures, eggs.

Littered throughout the gigantic room were eggs the size of Sakura's hand. Hundreds of them shimmered from the blue runes as they laid in the midst of their brothers and sisters, cousins and relatives, kinsmen all of them to the Great Empire of the Draconic Age. Once the Prince awakens, Avatre reminded her-self, and only then will we see the Shadows fall.

The figure of two feet and a half was immeasurably dwarfed by the great size of the chamber but for the dragons, it was a tight squeeze to have all of them in the chamber without crunching an egg. All of the Elders were vaguely mindful of their claws as they too were overcome with awe. This was a treat indeed for them. On rare occasions were they actually allowed down the passage way past Avatre's sanctuary, and on even fewer occasions have they actually seen into the Minor Egg Chamber much less then actually stepping foot into the chamber.

It was very humbling to actually view so many eggs. And these were just the Minor eggs! What about the Greater eggs?

Avatre let them wile in their own awe before she linked herself with Sakura. She received the sense that the girl was absolutely….'blown away', she believed the human term was.

"_Now, Sakura, close your eyes and listen with your Power. I trust you have done this before so I don't think I need to explain." _Hear Sakura nodded her head, she had done this before._ "Just listen for anything calling your name or calling to you. Even a tug on your conscience will do. Then follow the call, wind it about yourself like a rope and when you reach the end stop. Do you understand?" _

An affirmative nod answered her for Sakura was still speechless with marvel.

"_Good. Do it now."_

Sakura closed her eyes and pushed away her exhaustion. She got the feeling this was imperative to do this right. She 'listened' with all of her might. She waited and listened until she felt a strain on her Power. Giving up with despair, she opened her eyes to face the dragons' disappointment.

"I don't feel anything." She said with hopelessness.

The Elders shifted a bit in agitation but were quieted with a glance from Avatre. She silently watched Sakura in an air of thoughtfulness as if contemplating something other then her failure. After a few moments, her eyes swept the room and came back to Sakura.

"_Do it again but this time don't force yourself to listen. Just open yourself up to whatever may come. The last time you were trying to hard and as a result, you were blocking out any call you might have heard." _Avatre's steeled voice resonated through her mind. She must be disappointed but she wants to hide it, thought Sakura. She did as she was told, always the obedient child.

With her eyes closed she hesitantly lowered her shields from the cruel world and opened herself up. She felt naked without them for she had had a shield of some kind always around since she could remember. She opened herself up to whatever may come, trusting her new draconic friend to protect her. Almost immediately she felt a tug on her soul. A link that demanded for her to follow and blindly she did. She didn't know how she managed to avoid crushing or even nudging eggs but the thought wasn't first and foremost on her mind. Later she would claim that the eggs somehow told her that they were there and where to step that wouldn't harm any egg, but now she did not care. All she cared was to find out who would call her so powerfully.

Abruptly it stopped and she opened her eyes to find an egg cupped in her tiny hands. The egg was warm and gave off a sense of comfort and love. This tiny egg wanted to always be with her wherever she went.

Slowly, still lost in the sense of the egg, she turned to face the rainbow of dragons with Avatre standing in front of them.

"He says his name is Keroberos", she declared triumphantly with a grin on her dirty face.

Avatre nodded like she had expected that to happen. She stared the girl straight in the eye and announced with all formality to all:

"_Sakura Kinomoto of Star's Landing has passed the test. We welcome her into our family. Forever she will be cared by, protected by, and loved by the Seven Great Clans. We recognize her as sister and thus kinsman."_

She mentally smiled at the girl.

"_Welcome sister!" _Chorused hundreds of voices in Sakura's mind, but underneath all of the joyous voices was another voice, completely different from everyone else's. It was warm, humorous, loving, and caressing at the same time. It said:

"_Welcome into my family. Wait for me. I will join you soon."_

* * *

Like it? Hate it? In between?

I know this is moving on slowly but I want this to go far so I can't rush things and pull out all of my tricks.

There is some confusion about what a Consort and a Queen is so let me explain. Forget everything you have ever heard about queens and consorts. Ok? Ok. Now a Queen for the dragons is an actual dragon while a Consort is a human. They both are mates/lovers/wives of the King and they both have the same duties and respect given to their station. A Queen is a dragon and cannot be a Consort because of it and vice versa.

Thanks for all of the reviews! You guys are great!

Please Review again please, and tell me what you think.

Ally Lei


	4. The Awakening

**Attention:** I have changed Sakura's age from six to eight. The reason being that it just makes more sense, and also because this chapter will give you some info. on Sakura's past and if she was six the content made her seem too fantastical (sp?)

Ok, thats it until the bottom.

Rising of the Dragons' Dawn

by Ally Lei

Chapter 4: Awakening

'Wait for me. I will join you soon.'

The voice had said. Well Sakura Kinomoto had been waiting for somebody to come; for somebody to join her in the almost prison-like mountain with a serious, boring guard who wouldn't play with her.

'Wait for me.'

She had been waiting for fourteen days now and still there was no sign of anyone coming to her. In fact, almost everyone had left her. The Elder dragons, as Avatre called them, had stayed for roughly three days time (her estimation was based on meals because she wasn't allowed outside to see the sky). They had left in what she perceived as disappointment. She didn't know why they were saddened but it seemed that it had something to do with her, as it seemed almost everybody was.

Sakura wasn't one to give into self-pity because her brother had said it was the downfall of humanity; whatever that meant she didn't know but it sounded bad. Sometimes, though, it felt as if she was….

incomplete.

As though something was missing from her life and she was left to fill the gap, as cliché as that sounds. She felt as though she should be doing something, somewhere, somehow, but she couldn't for she was only a child and a girl.

So she tried to fill this metaphorical gap with family, friends, and knowledge. Sadly it didn't work out as she had hoped. She was very well off compared to other children of the world. Her family tried to be there for her, she knew, but they were busy helping the townsfolk. And as for her friends, well, she never had many because they feared her and her parents. The townspeople, while respecting the Kinomoto family, they were also suspicious of Sakura's family because they didn't understand the Powers. It is the nature of every species that roamed the earth to fear and shun what they don't understand.

As a result of this exclusion, Sakura came to know a thirst for knowledge and understanding of the world, deep within her. She read many of her parents' historical books, and even the ones she wasn't allowed to even look at. She read diaries of kings, magicians, witches, and sorceresses; of the great wars of the land and the good deeds of the people. She learned about all of the creatures discovered on the face of the planet. She studied and tested her theories and hypothesizes with Power. She came to control her Power with utmost discipline and a lot of exercise. She became what many would call a child prodigy. And she did all of this in the eight years (remember, I upped her age from six to eight because it makes more sense) of her very short life.

No one knew of her awareness except her brother because he was the one to start it all by giving a lonely Sakura an easy Power exercise book. After she finished that she asked for another and another until, finally, Touya had to sneak books to his little sister. And if she was caught with them he covered for her by making himself seem at fault. He did this because he alone guessed at the full potential Sakura possessed, and he knew her Power could destroy her if not controlled.

But now her brother was gone along with her parents and the townsfolk. She was alone; awaiting her fate to come for her. The only special event that she was actually looking forward to was the hatching of Kero, as she had come to call him. Avatre said that the reason she had been chosen by Kero to hatch him was because he approved of her personality, her Power, he destiny, and because he was drawn to her. When asked why he was 'drawn to her', she received a blank look as if asking how she could be so ignorant, and then Sakura received this long-winded speech on the complexities and reasons of a dragon's life. Basically everything had to do with Power and what a being chose to do with it; Kero chose to be unbreakably bound to her and that was the end of it. Sakura only wished that Avatre had shortened her lecture to that explanation and saved her human brain a monumental headache.

Green orbs flickered up to lay a scornful look on the rose and violet dragon who was currently longing in the center of the humongous cave while she had to scrunch into a corner. Avatre refused to play or even entertain the girl on grounds that the past few days had been very trying for her. Sakura felt a little put off by this because the female dragon had had fourteen days to 'recover'. Personally she felt that Avatre was anxiously waiting for Kero to hatch so she could gambol around with him, but she avoided confrontation because she realized that Avatre was her main source of food for the time being. At least until Kero hatched and could hunt for her.

This thought inevitably raised another question as Sakura glanced at Avatre and the back to the egg in her hand.

She had been carrying around the egg with her through her every waking moment and she had to put it close to her when she was sleeping so she didn't crush it. According to Avatre she had to quicken and provide warm, life force energy to the developing dragon which should hatch in the next day or so (something she couldn't wait for). Because she had been carting around the egg she had had a lot of time to observe it and make mental notes, and during this time she noticed that her warm, butter-cream colored egg was the size of her fist. Not something you would expect a great hulking beast to come out of. A glance again at Avatre proved that the physics were beyond possible and she intended to find out why.

"Avatre", she called out to get the dragon's attention. The dragon's majestic head rose and came to rest before her with a query in its eye. The dragon had been contemplating the future and what it in store for the Dragonkin race and the beings of the world.

"Why is this egg so small? Do all dragons hatch out of an egg this size?" Sakura let bewilderment color her voice, hoping that Avatre will give a small simple answer instead of a blank gaze and a lecture.

What she got, however, was not something she had expected. A rumbling sound came from deep within the dragon's body and slowly a connection was formed between the two. Sakura received the impression that Avatre was laughing and the link only proved that the dragon was indeed finding something amusing. Sakura pouted; she did not like to be laughed at (though this was a first from Avatre).

"_I have been waiting for you to ask that question these past few days. I had almost begun to worry."_ Avatre's teasing voice filtered through their bond. Sakura scowled as much as she could by making her baby face look as menacing as possible though she suspected it wasn't at all.

Avatre seemed to find more amusement from this and the rumbling sounded again.

"_Settle down, child, I was only teasing. And as for your question it is very simple. I, nor the dragons you have seen, hatched from an egg like that" _Avatre replied

"Why not?" Sakura demanded as she thought of dragons springing from the ground or out of thin air. The idea did not make sense for Power wasn't made like that and Dragonkin were being of Power.

"_Merely because that baby dragon is what is called a Minor dragon, though by no means less powerful. Minor dragons are smaller, thus smaller eggs. Their power though is somewhat different from a Greater Dragon."_

"How so?" By this time Sakura was past bewilderment and had dove right into confusing.

"_They only have Power over a specific element. For example, your dragon is a Luck and Loyalty dragon. He can smell deception and lies that people have told you even if he wasn't there. He also puts you on the rather good side of Fate, but I wouldn't rely on him to much. You may never know when Fate will not be swayed."_ Avatre warned as she closed her eyes, hoping to mediate a bit more on the future.

Sakura stared at her egg in contemplation, her mind whirling, mentally measuring and weighing how big of an egg Avatre could have come from. The result was mind-boggling, something she could just not believe.

"Avatre." She called again, and the multi-hued eyes opened in slight frustration.

"How bigger was your egg." The child's country upbringing and her age making her draw on bad grammar. Another small thing that Avatre hoped the girl would grow out of or learn from a role model the proper usage of words.

As Avatre considered the girl's question, she felt a small Power tremor coming from the tiny egg in the girl's grubby hands. No doubt the dragonling would hatch tomorrow. Avatre mentally smiled and whole heartedly approved because she had felt somewhat guilty for not being able to play with the girl. She was the Egg Keeper, not a baby sitter so she didn't the first hint of how to entrain the child. Usually the egg chose when to be quickened and she called the mother or father depending on the case to come and claim their charge when it was hatched by her.

And as for the girl's question Avatre felt it better to actually show her for the girl probably couldn't even begin to imagine the size even if the female dragon told her. She rose onto her powerful, scaly legs and made her way to the opening in the way that stood in for a door. She curved her head around and looked to see what the small body was doing. Currently she was staring at Avatre in befuddlement and small inkling of fear. The young mind probably thought that her new mother was angry with her but with a small jerking of the great beast's head; her doubts were eradicated as she rose to follow the dragon out.

It was the same journey that Avatre had made many times but still always gave her a sense of wonderment. What was surprising was that the halls were not extraordinary, the air was cool as it was throughout the mountain caves, and there was not anything significant about the passage. Other than it was the Greater Egg room and where the unhatched Prince resided, a little voice whispered in her heart.

When they reached their destination, Sakura didn't even realize it. The entry was covered with protective spells that made the opening look and actually feel like solid granite by playing tricks with your mind. Essentially an intruder would walk on by it never knowing it was the safe haven for hundreds of eggs. If not it would at least buy some time for the Egg Keeper to sacrifice herself to move the eggs while the trespasser was confused.

As she would be able to for the rest of her life, Sakura stepped through first at the directing of Avatre. She walked a couple of feet in before her legs gave out underneath her as she looked on in awe, once again, at hundreds of eggs glowing in the blue light cast from the ever-changing protective runes in the walls and curved ceiling. Except this time the eggs were almost as tall as her two and three-quarter foot frame.

The eggs were placed at random throughout the room and varying in size too; though none of them went below the height of a foot and a half. Each egg, Sakura was sure, had its own soft, pale color if one were to roll the egg out into direct sunlight but with the eerily blue light dominated in the cave.

Avatre entered behind the girl but had to stop short a few feet in if she didn't want to step on her soon-to-be Consort of the Emperor. She watched the blue-cast, childish face for any signs of something of what she knew not. As she had anticipated the small head rose of seemingly its own accord for the child still seemed to be in a daze. If Avatre was human she would have grinned at the expression of admiration etched onto the girl's face. She connected herself with the child's thoughts to find the girl was reveling in the comfort given to her by all of the eggs. In short she wasn't thinking clearly and Avatre intended to give as much information as she could before that small mouth opened in the inevitable questions. Avatre wanted to beat the onrush of them.

"_The reason these eggs are so big is because they house the dragons that will eventually grow to be the size of a small hill or even a small mountain, though that is very rare. The difference between the Greater and Minor dragons is size but also a Greater dragon can control any element he or she wished to use while a Minor dragon can only control one. But I warn you now, never discriminate to a Minor dragon. It is against all morals and you will find yourself at the end of every prank the Minors have and will come with over the years. _

"_Also, they may be able to control one element but the can tap into Power unimaginable for the specific element. So don't you ever let me- or anyone else for that matter- catch you discriminating others. The punishment is exact for everyone even if you are….uh….important." _Avatre almost slipped during her lecture and momentarily glanced at the wonder struck girl. She didn't catch it though, which was excellent because it wasn't Avatre's place to tell her who she would become. If she learned who she was going to be, she might get what the humans called 'airs', and acted as if she was superior to everyone. The Prince would not hatch for her if she did indeed acquire 'airs'.

Avatre sensed a thought forming in the child's mind and immediately answered:

"_Yes, child, we do have the power to metamorphous or transform, whichever you prefer. We can change into humans or any other creature, and we used to frequently in the past." _

The satisfied question moved away into the recording recesses of Sakura's mind only to be replaced by another. And again Avatre answered before the red mouth could open.

"_We haven't for five hundred years because it was restricted by our former Emperor before he died. It can only be reinstated by our Prince but he hasn't, as of yet, hatched."_

Sakura's thoughts were whirling, trying to absorb all that she could. Avatre had to weaken their bond so she wouldn't get trapped by the flurry of Sakura's thoughts. But before she did so she caught one inquiry that she had been waiting for. In the next few minutes she hoped that she would be proved right, that a momentous happening would occur. Oh! She couldn't wait! She would finally be able to see the Prince awaken.

Putting on a somewhat chilled tone to hide her excitement she spoke to the girl softly:

"The Prince is not hatched yet, my dear. His egg lies yonder." Avatre's wing fanned out to point at the monstrous egg in the corner.

The egg lay on its side but still managed to reach three feet upwards and four feet lengthwise. It shone with the ray of sun shed through a crevice in the far wall. No shadows could corrupt or even touch it because the being that would be born out of the shell was all-powerful and he disapproved of the Shadows' games.

But right now the egg looked relatively harmless. In fact if Avatre didn't know any better she would probably have guessed that the egg was dead for it didn't hum with life or even give off a sense of Power.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed movement; the girl-child was slowly crawling towards the egg. Avatre stretched her neck out and turned her head to see the girl's expression and to read her intentions. She, however, received a surprise.

Sakura's face was blank except for the look of determination that gave the impression that for all intents and purposes, Sakura was going to touch the egg. Avatre tried to connect her mind with the girl's but she was knocked aside. Her connection was forcefully shoved back at her as if something was blocking all communication and contact with the child. Avatre started to fret over the possibilities of why Sakura was acting so. She couldn't sense the Prince awake or even calling the girl so what, in the name of the Stars, was going on! She began to fear for not only the girl but for the Prince as well. Was the child corrupt and acted as if she was the innocent only to be able to access the Greater Egg chamber? Was Sakura being compelled by dark forces? If she was Avatre had to stop her.

Fearfully she called out again to the girl: "_Sakura!"_

But Sakura was deaf to the world. As soon as her eyes rested on the smoky-colored egg, her ears rejected all sound but one: a hum. The hum was more of a vibrating like the tuning fork Touya used with his piano; it rung with the clarity of nothing else Sakura knew. It wove its way into her mind, controlling and compelling her to move, to touch the egg.

So she rose on her weak hands and knees and crawled over the space between her and the egg. She was unable to hear to all noises or callings for the hum deafened her senses. She knew only one and it seemed to be coming from the egg.

As she stumbled over to the hardened shell she began to notice a glowing of the egg. It seemed as if the egg was glowing from something inside of the shell. Sakura received a feeling of soothing warmth and love. She wanted to reach the love, this acceptance so she sped up her awkward crawl, eager to reach the egg.

She, finally, was in arms' reach of the shell after what seemed an eternity had passed by. The glow had changed into a shining light, and Sakura was able to see a form moving within its shell. She stretched out an arm to feel the egg. In the egg it seemed as if a creature was doing the same, for a stretched-out claw shape shadow formed from within the egg.

If Sakura had placed her hand on the cool shell, it would have landed on the shadow, but the appearing of Avatre's wing halted her. The dragon was standing over her with her wing stretched out in front of the knelling girl. Sakura felt a rushing sense of clarity as stared at Avatre. What had she been about to do?

A glance at the egg told her nothing because it was just an egg now with no inner glowing or hum. She moved her eyes back up to Avatre in silent query but the dragon only gave a mental image of smiling contently and moved away.

After another glance at the egg, Sakura hurried to stand up and ran after the female dragon. She hoped it was lunch time because she was starving and maybe Kero would hatch in the next hour or two.

As both females traversed down the stone corridor, the Prince egg let off a dazzling flash and a nonexistent sigh permeated the room.

The Prince had awoken.

* * *

Ok, so is it good or bad? 

Ipersonally think it could have been better but no matter how many times I rewrote it it just seemed...childish. I don't know maybe its me.

I give a heartfelt thanks out to the people who reviewed this story.You guys really make my day when I get them. Please review me again!

To all new readers: please review and tell me what you think. Youthoughts are reallyappreciated even if you say some not so complementary things.

Thanks again,

Ally Lei


	5. The Chink

This is mostly a 'Meet the Bad Guys' chapter. Normally I wouldn't give that long of a segment to them but it sets that stage for events to come. Also the part at the end is a cliff hanger to the chapter that might (if I get enough inspirationwinks) come out next weekend (if not it won't take more than two weeks cause I really want that chapter out of my way so I can move on with the real story)

Ready?

Set?

GO!

Rising of the Dragons' Dawn

By Ally Lei

Chapter: The Chink (You'll find out, just read)

Disclaimer: I don't own CardCaptors or the name Avatre (I forgot this last chapter)

Crystalline flakes whipped through the mountain of the north, spreading blindness throughout the lofty northern mountainous land. This part of the world was uninhabitable by any creature that required some kind of warmth such as humans, animals, and other Power beings. Rarely did you see life this far north for it was said among humans that the mountains sucked the life from you. And maybe this wasn't a bad description.

You see, this hard, cold, and unforgiving land was inhabited by the Shadows of the Tainted Power, the beasts that resided in other creatures of the world. They claimed this land since the beginning of their birth because this portion of the world saw virtually no light of the sun for eight months. And during the other four months left they squeezed into the caves, caverns, nicks, and crannies of their black mountains, staying there in a self-induced haze until the warmth left. A hibernation you could call it.

Now, though, the sun had just passed it four months of sun mark and the shadows were climbing out of their little cramped hovels. Their translucent gray shapes converging upon the mountains, calling on enemies of old as if they were best friends. It was their philosophy that you could never have too many enemies. All were out and about creating dissensions amongst the mountains and ice sheets.

All but one.

In the highest cave among all of the others in the tallest and largest peak, resided a lone shadow. The dark cave around him seemed as if it was hit directly with sunlight as its black figure was so dark; its flowing form forever moving, never settling on one shape.

He was the essence of dark, the first one born in the heart of the first being on the planet. And since then this shadow had watched the world with greed and malcontent. It planned from day one to swing the balance to the Shadows side. He did not want to rule but instead provide the perfect habitat for his brethren and himself. A habitat where the races of the world's flesh were their food and the blood was their drink. A world inhabited by the Shadows of Power.

It brooded further of its plans for domination, having succeed in almost all of them since the beginning. Its only failure was the war between the races which had been induced by it; that great and terrible event that put distrust of everything in the instincts of nature. It had hoped that they would weaken themselves and divide up between their own groups. But that had not happened. Instead they made alliances among themselves and tore each other apart. There was neither a winner nor loser at the end but a broken system and death everywhere. But they were still not weak enough for a complete and total domination for the war sparked fierce pride in the hearts of the races and they were unwilling to be tempted.

Its only great failure and flaw: misjudgment.

Its brooding was broken by another presence making it known at the entrance of the cave. A recently made shade floated there, it no doubt bearing unpleasant news for the First Shadow had specifically ordered not to be troubled with meaningless matters.

"First One, we have a bit of trouble" a disembodied voice whispered. The Dark Shadow wondered if the young one thought him so ignorant.

"We _cause_ trouble; we don't get it! Remember that!" the First One barked, hurrying to get rid of the annoying existence.

"Of course, of course" the voice took on a petulant tone.

"Well, get on with it! What did you have to tell me that was so _urgent_?" the Head Shadow stressed the last word derisively.

The young one hesitated as if considering withholding the information out of spite. The older being, having been used to its minions behavior, gave off an air of warning and the small shadow spoke up quickly.

"It seems the Prince", the cloudy shadow practically spat out the name, "has awoken."

The much older essence of darkness oozed ill contempt and the now transparent shadow quickly tacked on its title. The older being was going to be given the respect it deserved, even from young upstarts.

"Very well, now get out."

"First One?" the smaller shadow sounded startled. He probably wanted an award. Well- surprise, surprise- he wasn't going to get one. How's that for spite, you amateur? The first shadow thought.

"Go before I do something you won't like!" the First One all but shouted.

Backing up, the mirage that was the younger shadow, turned and fled as fast as it could to the edge of the cave, hoping to throw itself out of its elder's chamber and into the gusting winds. It never made it. Instead it was overtaken by threads of darkness that wrapped around the outline's inner core of Power and pulled him back inside the dark, stone cave. Before it met certain extinction it was held up to the presumed front of the first shadow.

"Too late." It spoke sadistically before it engulfed the other much younger shadow. Memories and experiences passed through its mind's eye, accompanied with emotions of fear, joy, hope, and happiness. The man that had borne this shadow had led a relatively good life by human standards. No wonder the shadow was so weak.

Suddenly it sensed it was being watched. Watched by a being that bore him ill will. It seemed to be hanging about in the stalactites in the back of the cave. The Shadow wondered why it had not sensed the other before.

"Now that wasn't a very nice thing to do" the mocking voice was recognized instantly by the First One.

"You, of all shadows, should know that we are not exactly 'nice' beings, Third One." the Powerful shadow couldn't resist adding sarcasm to the comment, making it an insult to the aforementioned shadow. It was still facing the front of the cave, watching as the snow flakes became icy sheets.

"But, Father!" the First One winced at the derogatorily mocking name the other shadow had chosen to call him, "We don't eat our minions! It's in the rules!" the first shadow almost made a snorting noise but held itself in check. The only rules the shadows had were: 'Don't get caught', 'Do your business subtly', and 'Cause as much chaos as possible.'; sometimes contradicting the others but as long as you followed two of the three you were considered quite an upstanding Shadow. And although it was pretty much a given that you had to stay in the physical world for the militia and future plans, most choosing to stay for the plans and not the army, there was no rule stating you couldn't eat your neighbor(s).

"What do you want, Gabriel?" the shadow asked tiredly but mentally shouting in triumph at having thought of the ultimate slight.

There was silence in the cave as both shadows contemplated the others thoughts.

"That was a low blow, _Father_. A really low blow." The shadow sounded disgusted.

"Well, I try."

"I'm sure you do, Father. I'm sure you do." The younger essence said sardonically. The first Power Shadow shrunk inside at the implication its physical being's son's shadow was making. Long had it tried to outwit its younger shade but the upstart always had an even more belittling slur on the tip of it mind, ready to blow competition out of the figurative waters.

"Now, down to business," the smaller, dark shadow traveled around to the front of the cave, seemingly to look over its jagged edge, "would you mind explaining to me why the Prince is awake? I thought you had assured us that he should be left to you. We trusted you…" the older being sincerely doubted that and suspected that very Powerful shadows had doubled his curses after he was gone,

"…. to take care of him. And where are we now? We are stuck at the start of the metaphorical sailing of our plans, and the one thing that could cause a chink in our chain would be an awake Prince. Which, may I remind you, has_ just_ happened!" the flowing outline of the shadow was illuminated by the moon's shimmering light as it turned to face its supposed superior. Small tendrils raised up to form a hand which pointed at the higher shadow, its habits as a human not forgotten after all the years its has been…..alive and dead.

"The only way he could have awoken is the almost touching or contact of his mate. Only a being of that much Power could have let his Power re-habitat its shell." Explained the older tainted Power as if to a younger child.

"That's impossible!" shouted the Third One, letting the small dig slid for more immediate matters.

"We tracked her Power to a village, we watched her to see if she developed her Power, we destroyed her village, and we killed every young girl there, including babies." It raged.

"Well, obviously not. Listen maybe it wasn't your fault. Maybe your little minions didn't do their job thorough enough. Maybe your informants were wrong." Suggested the First One genially.

The younger shadow glared at its superior, quick on the uptake that it was subtly being insulted. Instead of seeing the suggestions as advice for future references, it saw that it was a slight against itself because they were his drones; even if the one giving the 'advice' was right.

"I don't care whose fault it was, even though you did swear that nothing would be able to call the Prince's Power from Valeah. But that doesn't matter. Something needs to be done about it right now! Right this instance!" It snarled, giving up on the subtle (and not so subtle) competition of insults till the next round.

"And what do you suggest?" asked the opposite shadow in a triumphant tone.

"Extermination." Declared the extreme-craving shadow.

"Be reasonable. With that many dragons watching the Prince and his pipsqueak mate, we would never get in the literal front door. And you know, now that the Prince is awake, he will be watching her every step. If she dies now, _before_ he's hatched, he will do everything he can to either send us to Dama after he tortures us or blowing all of our plans that we have had for two million years out of our reach and into NaHavea." Clarified the First One.

"And what do you suggest?" imitated the younger shadow, mocking him for his earlier words.

"We wait, we watch, we plan. She can't stay up there her whole life. Eventually she will crave human contact, though I don't know why, and he will have to bring her down the gods' forsaken mountains." Told the older shadow, already planning the expressions of surprise and fear when its nemesis finally realizes who it was that killed his mate and who was about to kill him.

"And then we kill them?"

"Yes, and then we kill them" sighed the other shadow. The Gods knew that the Minor was obsessed with killing.

"Good." stated the now black silhouette that radiated satisfaction.

"I'm going down to join the festivities" the word was twisted into an untamed laugh, "Don't bother me."

"I wouldn't dream of it." The first Shadow left his cave to spill down the mountain side to join in the 'festivities' as he said.

The shadow named Gabriel watched him go in a thoughtful stare before his attention was given to another shadow that appeared above him.

"Soon, Mother, soon. We met a snag but all will be well." The Third One briefed. 'Mother' gave off an air of agitation, and then hurtled downward, intent on find something.

The Third One watched it go, too; only this time if it had human features it would be baring its teeth in a feral grin. Its plans not broken a bit by the sudden awakening of the Prince. In fact they were still going quite strongly. The First One didn't need to know that the 'upstart's minions had done their mission _very_ thoroughly for their inner cores were practically quaking in their dark aura. They would not hazard to do anything wrong.

Deliberation, determination, and detonation were its plan and it could and will wait for a little bit longer. Nothing was going to stop it. Not even a weak girl and pretty boy of a mate. In fact, if its calculations were correct, one phase of its plans would commence tonight without it having to travel anywhere.

* * *

Far away, in the middle of the mountains that split a continent was a cave impossibly long and very important. At least to the dragons.

Avatre stared at the little girl in front of her, trying to pick out every little movement. Today the child had been restless and even the newly hatched Kero, whom the child adored, was snapped at.

And both dragons could bet why.

It was happening tonight. The long-awaited event of the DragonKin was happening tonight.

The girl was now on her right side, curled up into a ball with the long, sinuous, golden-scaled Kero stretched out on top of her fast asleep. His tiny wings flaring out in imitation flight, his little legs moving occasionally while he dreamed; the perfect image of innocence. Sakura, however, was troubled. Frequently she mumbled in her sleep and tossed and turned. In evidence to the fact, was that she fell asleep clear across the cavern with Kero curled up behind her. Both of them had traveled from there to the right, then towards the middle of the cave, crunching over Kero's golden egg shards, and then they angled left a bit. So far they had stopped two hands width from Avatre. Now that was a feat indeed.

Avatre at first wondered how the tiny dragon could stay near the troubled girl but as she watched she noticed that he was asleep the whole time they were moving. She had caught him snoring as he climbed on top of the girl during this particularly last, violent move.

Avatre was stirred out of her thoughts by a vibration filling the air. The vibration was one of Power.

As she watched, Sakura's jeweled eyes snapped open and then glazed over. Muscles trembled as they forced her to stand up. Kero was unceremoniously dumped to the floor but immediately awoke and scrambled on to his spiny feet. He cast a knowing glance at her and then trotted after his dazed friend who was passing through the stone opening.

Avatre watched them go with sadness, glee, and trepidation.

So it began.

One of the greatest events to happen in recent history.

The quickening of the Dragon Prince Syaoran Li.

* * *

blinks Wow, I think this is the longest chapter to date. Maybe that says something about me. Hmmmmmmmmmmm…. I hope not.

Anyway what did you guys think? Like it? Hate it? I bet you thought the hatching was going to start but no.

I personally think that it was the worst one of the lot but I didn't really like how I played out the bad guys aka the Power Shadows (snort). I was trying to go for all of the aspects that we consider 'bad': Pettiness, vainness, evil, sadism, etc., but I think they came off childish. Though if you caught the last part at their segment about the Third One, it will get a bit deeper. Also there are so many words you can use in place of 'shadow' so after awhile it got a bit redundant and I can't even type the word any more without cringing.

My point being: please do not get on my case about it because I realize the problem and am searching to fix it (don't know how it will turn out)

The quickening is happening (finally) and that will happen in the next chapter along with the Hatching (or depending on certain things it might be the next chapter), and then we'll be getting into the real story that I have in mind.

Thanks go out to all readers and reviewers (since I can now count how many 'hits' I get. Which is at 324 and that particular feature was started three weeks to a month and two weeks ago, (can't remember and I don't want to understate). You guys have really made my days!

Please continue to read and review, I would greatly appreciate it.

Oh and maybe you can help me. I remember reading a CCS fanfic maybe a year ago that was titled Childhood Promise (I think). I really liked it and want to add it to my favs list but I can't find it because it doesn't show up on search and I can't remember the author.

It was about Sakura, Syaoran, and Tomoyo. Sakura had a crush on whom Syaoran had a crush on Tomoyo who was oblivious. Well Syaoran leaves and tells Tomoyo to keep in contact but she doesn't. It's Sakura who does, only Syaoran thinks its Tomoyo. Then he comes back and Tomoyo falls in love with him. Then he leaves again but sees Sakura in China and well you get the picture. I won't say anymore because if you do find it and you send me an email telling me where I can find it I will add it to my favs list and well it will ruin the whole plot for people who look at my favs list.

Please get back to me on that if you do know who authored it. It will be greatly appreciated.

Please Read and Review (again)

Ally Lei

Dama : Equates to our Hell (Humans and beings lesser then human believe in it) The First one was using it as an expression.

Valeah : In between place of the physical world and NaHavea. Only dragons and elves stay there for they can not go to NaHavea (explained later).

NaHavea: Heaven, Nirvana, etc.


	6. The Starting Point

**ATTENTION! THIS IS NOT A NEW CHAPTER!**

Just a quick Question. Should I make Syaoran physically four years older than Sakura or just two years? Please answer!

Rising of the Dragons' Dawn

By Ally Lei

Disclaimer: I don't own CardCaptors or the name Avatre.

Sakura slowly crawled into the Greater Egg chamber, having tripped and twisted her ankle slightly awhile back. Kero snaked along next to her, fearfully watching her movements and whimpering at each of her tortured movements. He again reached out with his mind and was met with the whirlwind wall created by the fierceness of his Prince's call. He knew his feeble attempts were futile but he still strived to help Sakura control the Call.

Avatre lumbered behind them. She was there to witness the event about to take place and also to disengage the traps set for intruders.

Neither of the dragons could help the little girl for this was another test, a test of courage, loyalty, and worthiness. Theory was that if the girl was not 'worthy' of the Prince's affections and once she passed through the entrance of the Greater Egg chamber, which during these times doubled as a Soul Searcher, her Call would be voided and cut off. Even if the Prince desired her. It was a clause put in to the protective spells that surrounded the chamber by paranoid Elders centuries ago. Their reasons were lost on Avatre but she suspected that they didn't want any chance of the Prince being influence by anybody else but them.

As Sakura was being observed by her two draconic companions, she was in a daze of her own. She had the sense that this had happened before. This very same feeling of befuddlement had descended on her mind seemed familiar. She couldn't think or function properly other then the sensation that she had to reach whatever was numbing her mind.

Colors flashed before her eyes and around her but she paid them no heed for she was intent on her purpose.

The glowing, blue protective spells flurried as they tried to protect the Eggs from the great Power surge compressing into the great room. They sensed that the Power was neither good nor evil but also that it was a force to be reckoned with. They sensed it and they tried to protect their charges as they were made to do, not knowing if it meant harm or not but they weren't willing to take the chance. They were given the sentiment that nothing could be too safe.

They spun faster around the cave until the walls themselves looked as if the were glowing an iridescent white. They were at the height of their Power and still couldn't stop the strange Power from building up inside the egg chamber.

And still Sakura did not notice.

The monstrous egg in front of her called her very attention and deadened her senses. To her, she saw only the mist and fog egg. To her it pulsated with life that beckoned for her to touch it, to start the hatching process.

Her tiny hand rose up of its own accord and her fingers spread in anticipation of the fell of the smooth egg. But before her hand placed itself on the egg, Sakura had the cold sensation that this moment could change her life. She didn't care though because in her mind, anything would be welcomed to brighten up her life and make her forget past horrors.

Her pale, dirty hand rested it self on the surprisingly rough surface.

Abruptly the pulsating stopped as well as the bewildering feeling. Then she felt it.

The freezing rushes as her Powers were drained from her. Everything exploded into a dazzling light before it faded to black.

The two dragons that stood behind her watched as she fell on the cold stone neither of them moving to help the child because they knew this was the start of the bonding stage. The prince would not let her die or become sick so they had no need to worry. He would be very angry if they interrupted.

Kero glanced around the cave noting the swirling channels and rigid runes encrusted and carved into the walls, ceiling, and around the eggs. They had been broken by the combined Power surge of the Prince and his mate. Now they sat dead against the world. Kero did not envy Avatre since she had reactive all of them. That would require so much energy and Power that his very body grew tired in sympathy. Or maybe he really was tired. It was after in the early hours of the mourning.

His small multihued eyes turned back to his friend lying on the floor. He supposed since she was resting he might as well too. He promptly plopped down his body and closed his eyes to resume sleeping. That is until he felt a lead like gaze on him.

Kero peaked open his eyes and sure enough, Avatre was watching him disapprovingly. He was supposed to witness this scene of bonding as well. He shamefully dropped his gaze to the unconscious girl a few feet away from him.

He contemplated her for a couple of seconds before he amusedly made contact with the dawn dragon by his side.

"_Looks a bit uncomfortable doesn't it?"_ His voice was slightly comical for it was a high masculine voice instead of a deep booming sound that was custom to dragons.

Avatre glanced at the girl and had to snort.

The girl had collapsed backwards with her calves loosely tucked underneath her while her body was hung towards the floor since her hand was stuck to the exact spot on the egg that she had placed it. Her cheek was pressed up against a sharp dead rune while her other arm sprawled out above her. Her position reminded Avatre of the poses women would take after pretending to faint in a play. Very dramatic.

"_Yes, it does look a bit uncomfortable."_ She answered before settling down to wait. Kero once again closed his eyes and sleep claimed him. Avatre just watched the girl, noting the girl's peaceful features and the tension of a forming bond between her and the egg.

What was in store for the DragonKin and the world with these two being together? Will hope prevail? Or will the taint of Darkness slip over the eyes of the planets beings?

* * *

Sakura awoke groggily to a golden scaled face of a monster. A shriek escaped her before it clicked in her mind that it was Kero peering at her worriedly. But it was too late. Kero had jerked his tiny head back and his ears flattened down tightly to his skull. She quickly apologized to him, mumbling it out because her tongue felt heavy and swollen.

She groaned at her headache before she attempted to sit up. Dizzyingly she raised her upper body off the stone floor and looked around.

It was quite dark inside the cave except for the tiny kindling fire that was flaming a couple of feet from her head. No doubt the dragons had lit it for her benefit seeing as they could see in the dark. The shadows cast upon the walls by the fire gave the gigantic cave a more eerie setting and made it seem stranger than usual. But not scary, never scary because she had two, soon to be three, dragons with her.

With that thought in mind her attention was once again given solely to the large egg at her side. Except this time she had control over her thoughts.

It looked no different then before. In fact it looked as if it nothing had happened at all, but her sense told a lot had happened in such a short time. Before she touched the shadowed egg it hummed with life but now she could actually sense a creature growing within. The egg also radiated with Power that it did not have before and that Power would no doubt grow as the egg matured.

She couldn't wait!

She attempted to stand up on her painfully stiff legs but encountered a problem before she even started. The problem was her hand or rather the hand that was still on the egg. She slightly pulled on it, testing to see if it was actually stuck.

It was.

She yanked on her hand, making her wrist pop under the unexpected strain. The egg however did not release her hand but instead rolled toward her a small bit.

Quickly she stood up to gain leverage and also to avoid being crushed. She placed her other hand on the egg and pushed on it, trying to use her weight to un-stick her trapped hand. It sadly didn't work. Instead her other hand was glued to the egg as well.

Sakura swore mild curses that she had picked up from her brother.

She contemplated her problem silently, momentarily forgetting her companions who were watching this comical sequence amusedly.

Finally, she set her bare, scrapped foot against the egg and 'put her back into it' as her former fellow villagers would say. Again it didn't work out as planned as her foot was now stuck too.

Sakura hopped on her wobbly remaining leg because it was the only way to vent her frustration. Her head hung down between her arms as she sulked. Her posture was the complete image of dejection and Avatre couldn't help but to take pity on her.

Chuckling, she snaked her tail forward and tapped the egg. Instantly feelings of humor, commands, and reluctance were exchanged. The female dragon watched as the girl's right arm and her leg was released from the surface of the egg and slid down. Sakura noticed this with surprise and flashed a smile at the pink and violet dragon.

She pulled away triumphantly only to be held up by her hand against the egg. The girl cast Avatre a confused expression and Avatre amusedly connected their minds.

"_He does have a humorous side but he also has a possessive side. Your hand and foot were stuck there because of a joke but your other hand will not be released until he hatches."_ Sakura still looked a bit put out that she would be stuck to this egg for a month.

"_That is the best I could do you know. He is my Prince and yours as well. We should not question his motives or characteristics. We just accept them and deal with them. Hopefully learning them before we make him annoyed_. " Though, I bet I could guess quite a few of his motives, she thought while examining the girl.

The girl's green jewels flashed distastefully before settling on a resigned expression. It was good that she accepted her fate for now.

Sakura's eyes focused on Kero resting at her feet. His tiny, golden wings were illuminated by the fire and Sakura was struck with a thought. Her eyes flashed up to meet Avatre's in a victorious stare. She was sure she had found a way to liberate her poor hand.

"Avatre, how will we move him?" her gesturing hand pointed at the egg, "I can't drag him everywhere. And I don't want to stay in one place."

Avatre reflect the girl quietly. There was an answer for this too.

Days passed by slowly for all occupants of the Keeper's lair. Days turned into weeks as though Time would rather they did not. Kero and Sakura occupied their time by playing games of mystery and fun, usually entailing for Kero to hide while Sakura used her Power to sense him out seeing as she could not hide with a three foot wide egg attached to her hand.

Avatre had come up with a levitation spell that would cushion the egg on a nest of air while allowing Sakura to move it freely. It was frustrating and annoying, Sakura found out. She couldn't do any of the basic chores and movements she usually did with the use of her right hand. Now she had to do everything left handed and it was a lot harder then she had previously suspected. Little nuances would appear everyday, and a list was formed in her head of why she would refuse to touch another Greater egg.

During the roughhousing and play time of the little ones, Avatre put her time and energy into reactivating the protection spells. At least she did until Sakura followed her to the Egg Chamber on a whim. She claimed she was bored and she might as well have been seeing as Kero was recovering from being thrown accidentally against a wall. His tail was having trouble moving too.

Sakura watched Avatre at work for a couple of moments before she glanced around the room and toddled to roughly the middle of the ground floor space with the Prince's egg floating oddly next to her. The eight year old stamped one foot then the other and the dead spells lit up like a beacon beneath her scratched feet. Avatre just blinked at this display of Power before congratulating her. She was coming to expect and know when the girl-child was most likely to attempt to help out. The female dragon noticed it was when a being was having particular trouble with something or spending too much time on one project. In childish thought, Sakura thought that everyone shouldn't tied down by work for too long. They needed time to relax and play. Even when she was at her studies she did it on her own terms. Everything she tried to discover was to further her amusement and everyone else's.

But then there were those other times when she felt something driving her to find out more, to learn and question everything. One of those times was close to a week of waiting for the Prince to hatch. Everyday Sakura felt the dragon inside growing, becoming more Powerful, and absorbing everything around him. Everyday he was becoming more aware of his companions and Sakura noticed, more in tune with her thoughts and feelings and her with his. When she was angry, he soothed her through understanding emotions, when she was thoughtful and wondering at her future he would somehow reassure her that everything would be alright.

On one of his resting periods, when she could tell he was not paying attention to her or the others did she finally grasp enough courage to ask Avatre the question that had been nagging at her in the back of her mind.

"Hey, Avatre, do you remember back in Egg Chamber and I had just come out of my faint and discovered my hand stuck?" at Avatre's nod of affirmation she continued:

"Well, you said that the Prince was possessive and wouldn't let my hand go, but why?" she mumbled the last part and only Avatre's acute hearing saved her from having to repeat herself. Avatre mulled over the question, wondering how to explain it in terms the child would understand. But at her draconic mother's silence she babbled on, hoping to explain herself from mortification.

"I mean, back in the village there was this guy who was going to marry one of my friends. She always talked nice about him when they were courting but after they were married I didn't see her, ever. And the few times that I did she wouldn't look me straight in the eye and she wouldn't come close to me either. And when she went to the Market with her husband she would ignore everyone, including me. Her husband would do all of the talking for her while she looked at the ground. I thought he hit her and asked Touya but he said that her husband was possessive. Is the Prince going to be like that? 'Cause I sure hope not. It wouldn't be any fun playing with him if he is." She rambled on for a couple of minutes, justifying her question and giving her reasons in her mind.

Avatre watched all of this with amusement but detachment. She couldn't say if the Prince was going to be like that or not, or at least she wouldn't presume to know him. It was not common but there were occasions that had happened in history. Usually though the mates would be content with the arrangement because they were made to complement each other. She could however explain as to why the girl's hand was stuck and shed a little light on the child's wondering inquiries.

"_Well, let's see,"_ she settled on her haunches, tired of lying down_, "first question is first, all right?_" the rounded head bobbed.

"_Hmmm, as to why the Prince will not let your hand go, it is because he is afraid."_ She explained simply. And he needs and wants to be near you, she thought.

"Afraid?" this was asked with an incredulous voice and a pointed glance at the looming egg next to her.

"_All not-yet-hatched dragons are. They are used to the safety and confines of their shell. When they are hatching they know they are going into a larger world and much of it is not exactly safe. The baby dragons are afraid of that and they need the reassurance of a Hatcher close by. Thus your hand is stuck. _

"_Also the beings in those shells use your Power to start the hatching process and you are drained a little bit everyday to help them mature. As it would happen sometimes your feelings and thoughts would be passed along as well and the baby comes to know you. They come to think of you as a friend and a person they want near. Understand?"_ Avatre decided to use the simple speech her mentor had given her. It explained a lot but didn't have you running in circles looking for your own tail in the muddle of explanations.

Throughout this the child had sat quiet, leaning up against the rough wall of Avatre's cave. A fire was once again lit near her; its flames licking the fresh air and casting a glow over the small, thoughtful face.

She soaked up everything, understanding it all and finally felt at peace with her worry. It actually seemed a bit silly now. She had a feeling that the Prince would be protective but also understanding. She was actually quite certain he would be her best friend throughout her life; though where that thought came from she didn't know.

Avatre interrupted her thoughts with a side note she had forgotten.

"_As a Hatcher you have to be there for the blessed event_" Sakura almost rolled her eyes at the obvious statement, "_and you have to be the first being he sees. Normally I would be the one to start the quickening process but as it gets closer to the hatching day its parents will come and take over. The baby dragon will have known me and counted me among its friends but it will also know its parents and go to their nest after it hatches."_ Her information cleared up more question, Sakura did not know she had. But it also rose to mind others.

"Why?" it was a familiar word to Avatre, one she found joyful and annoying.

"_Why what?"_ she countered teasingly. The cute face morphed as much as it could into a scowl.

"Why do you start the Quickening process? Why doesn't its parents? Why are all the eggs kept here?"

"_Well, for one, I start the process because my Power is in tune with an egg's call. The dragon decides when it will hatch and if it didn't hatch for, say a couple of centuries, it would just be cluttering up it parents' nest along with its brothers and sisters. It would be quite crowded would it not? Personally I do _not_ think I could stand it."_

Sakura took all of this in with a thoughtful face, agreed with the dragon's statements, and seemed about to question some more when the Prince awoke. Despite him being in an egg, Sakura still had to keep him busy to stay away boredom. Usually it consisted of emotions and simple Power games but of late the Prince was getting better at them and wanted more challenging problems. Her whole attention was given to him and the games she could formerly easily beat him at.

Kero sat on the side lines, or rather curled into a ball next to the warmth of the fire, monitoring the Prince's and his mate's connection. He had been sleeping a lot lately and his growth had increased quite a bit. He formerly spanned the length of Sakura's forearm but now he was a snake as long as her arm. Growing and playing was hard on him. Especially boredom. He couldn't wait for his Prince to hatch as much as his kin. Every dragon around the world connected with Avatre every week or every other day (depending on how fanatical they were) keeping tabs on the Prince's maturation and updates on how soon Avatre thought he would hatch. He was very glad not many knew about him or they would have connected with him too. He preferred not to deal with the hassle.

The DragonKin, as a whole, couldn't wait for their Prince and the security he would provide. No longer would they have to muddle through their long lives not knowing what to do. Now they would finally have some direction after nine hundred years.

* * *

Sakura was startled awake in the dead of the night by something she knew not. She couldn't sense any movement around the cave and her friends hadn't moved all that much. Kero was still on his back, his claws fumbling through the stale air. Avatre rested with her head and tail curled around her dawn colored body. There was nothing that should have wakened her.

So what was it?

She waited for a couple of moments more before finally lying back onto her rush pallet that she had made. The air around her was warm from the embers a couple of yards away from her and Avatre's own body heat that rose when she was at rest to stave off unwanted chills.

Her eyes closed, preparing for sleep once more when she felt it. There was movement beside her where the egg was. She waited for awhile, her heart pounding. If it was, the Prince was hatching three days after the expected hatching day. If he had waited that long couldn't he wait for a couple of more, when her nerves a little better. She was nervous though she couldn't pin as to why.

Over the past couple of days she had begun to have thoughts that wouldn't be a good friend to him, that he would not like her, that he would eventually leave her, that he would forget about her, or that he would ignore her as soon as he hatched. She had all of the feeling of parents to be except she didn't understand why. She knew he was a good person by what she could sense. She knew he liked her and considered her a friend. So why have these doubts?

A violent rocking next to her roused her out of her musings. The rounded egg shuddered. A clicking noise was heard from inside. Claws were scraping the shell, testing its thickness. A rhythmic tapping sounded right next to her head. Sakura stared at the spot as the tapping continued and grew impatient. It was as though the dragon inside wanted her to confirm her presence. Slowly she reached up with her free hand and knocked on the hard shell. Her knocking reverberated through the shell and woke Avatre and Kero. They took one look at the egg before scrambling around.

Kero came anxiously to her while Avatre left the chamber to trod down the windy halls and stand on the landing platform where it gave optimum connection with other dragons. There she called out to the Elders, telling them the news and to hurry. Judging by the Prince's movements it wouldn't be long at all.

When she reached her cave she immediately took notice of Sakura, standing up holding the egg as it violently shook and rocked. If Sakura was not holding it, it would have rolled, taking Sakura with it. By the egg's quaking and the furious scratches from inside, Avatre made the conclusion that he would probably hatch in the next twenty minutes to half hour.

She was deathly wrong. It did, in fact, take three hours for their Prince to hatch.

The Elders had long ago arrived and now sat around the conference chamber they had first seen their Prince's Consort in. All watched the little human girl in the center of the room. All were wondering if they had made the trip for naught.

Sakura made a pitiful scene in the middle of the room with her fretting herself into tears as the Prince continued to shake. Little did the old dragons know that the Prince was relieving all of his frustrations on her. He wanted so bad to be out of the damnably small shell. But it was just too thick. Cracks had appeared an hour ago but he still hadn't been able to break out of his dark shell. His anger mounted more and more as the hours passed and so did his Power. Sakura shared everything he felt and tried to help him as much as she could but she didn't understand how to make the situation better.

She felt the cold glares of the elder dragons on her back as she continued to futility help her Prince. Her friend as she had come to realize. And friends help each other, but she was as helpless as the baby dragon inside.

A half hour ago the Prince had stilled. Nothing sounded from inside as grunts, squeals, and whimpers had just filled the room not to long ago. The scraping, clicking, and aggressive pounding had ceased as well. All was quiet inside the cracked shell.

Nobody moved in the cave, not even a tail twitched, or a wing rustled. The most critiquing dragon mused that they probably had a weak king and he had finally given up to rest. Others were sure that their Prince was strategizing a more successful approach. However doubts still seemed to be on every body's mind, including Sakura's who had the most confidence in him.

She kneeled on the cold stone floor, both hands pressed up against the cool egg as she whispered words of encouragement. She wouldn't give up even if it was only to prove to the Elders that she was as strong as they thought she was weak.

Avatre and Kero watched their friend comfort and cry onto the egg, her tears sliding down the now uneven surface to puddle at the rough floor. Why wouldn't the Prince hatch? Had he judged his Mate wrong? Was she not the right girl? And if she was, was he the weaker one of the two, physically speaking? What was going on?

Finally Heart's Flame, the red elderly dragon, rose to her scaly feet silently and started to pad out. It was obvious that the Prince was never going to hatch and if he did, the dark red dragon wasn't sure he would follow a weak King. It was bad enough that he had taken a human for a mate. Three other dragons whom saw him as a leader rose up as well and was about to follow him out when a spectacle in the middle of the room was made.

Or more specifically the girl had jerked back suddenly, without warning, and she was watching the egg with an almost fearful look. That was when they noticed it.

The egg's cracks were glowing with some inner light. They grew more intense and were somehow reflected off the stone walls of the cave. The beams of white light blinded all but one. Sakura stared straight into the extreme lights. As she watched the cracked shell pieces slowly bloomed until they were forcefully exploded off of the being inside.

When the light cleared and every dragon was able to see around the after effect they found a baby dragon standing in the middle of the cave with the girl's face in front of his. They were staring at each other intently, bound by the other's presence and captivated by the other's appearance.

The infantile dragon's black scales oozed with the egg fluid. His tiny, soft silver claws slipped slightly in the muck while his whip-like tail with silvers spikes going down its length swayed slightly to help him keep his balance. His black, membrane wings jutted out of his backside. They looked oversized for such a small dragon and were resting against the floor, but as the Elders looked on, they raised themselves in testing. He was an unusual dragon that none of the Elders had ever heard accounts for.

Who has heard of an all black dragon with silver claws and silver spikes traveling his back and bright golden eyes reflecting all around him but never letting you peak inside? None of his ancestors had ever had such an unusual coloring. Sure there were the odd ones of blue backs and yellow stomachs, colors that just did not make sense together, but this tiny dragon in front of them slipping in his own egg fluid was all one color: black. Quite odd. But also it made sense if you thought about it. Black was the presence of all colors and whether that meant anything to the world of DragonKin yet, the witnesses in the cave were sure that they would soon find out.

But to Sakura he was perfect in every sense of the word. To her he was adorable, sweet, and playful. He wanted a friend and she was willing to provide that for him. As she stared into his luminescent, golden eyes she felt herself being pulled deeper into his world of dragons. And she dove in whole heartedly in for this creature in front of her. There was no going back now.

He loved her and he assured her he would never leave her. Wonderment filled Sakura as she realized what he could mean. She would have him as a friend until the day she died, that was what he was offering. She would never be alone again, that was what he was promising.

He slowly pulled his head out of her hands they had been resting on and backed up. He almost was sent sprawling as his footing was greased with the clear fluid from his egg. He regained his balance and turned his draconic head downwards. He gave off the impression that he was, for all intents and purposes, glaring at the transparent solution on the irregular, stone floor. Slowly, before all eyes, the mess below him hardened and turned to gold, the color of his mysterious eyes. The juice ran off him in rivulets, having been turned to a substance similar in consistency to water, before pooling on the floor and solidifying as the rest.

What was left was a small platform of gold, fit for a baby Prince, and made him appear more royal then all of his ancestors. The Elders were taken aback at what they saw, what this Prince could mean for them.

He brought his radiant eyes back up to rest on the girl in front of him.

An unseeingly breeze flowed thru the great chasm. It rebounded off the coved walls and swirled around all, trying to escape its confines. The feeling of Power rose within the cave and the now tunneled wind focused around the infantile dragon at its center, encircling him.

The wind formed some kind of screen for privacy but Power trained eyes could still see through it. All individuals in the room could see into the wind funnel, could see the shape inside morphing and changing. It was nauseating to observe the reshaping of another's body. And also hard to describe really. It was as if the bones in his body elongated, shortened, thinned, and grew fatter, changing the very structure of the dragon's body. To Sakura it looked painful.

She forced her self to watch despite the sick feeling of her stomach. She felt that if she didn't she would miss something important, something that could alter the relationship she had and would have with the Dragon Prince.

Suddenly the whipping air ceased to circle. The Power dispirited as did the funnel in the middle of the room.

A boy of four years old stood in the place of the baby dragon. His pale skin covered in a thin layer of egg fluid, his hair was matted down with it. His bangs hung down into his eyes until he irritably brushed them away, revealing liquid amber eyes with golden flecks in them. Those eyes made you think that they saw the world and yet none of it. He smiled dazzlingly at Sakura who was forced to smile back under the warmth.

"I'm Syaoran" he spoke in a whisper that sent chills down Sakura's back. Tears came into her eyes as she observed him in sheer awe. It took awhile to register that he spoke but when her mind finally computed his statement she gave him a watery smile. She recognized that voice. That same sweet, loving voice. She knew it from somewhere.

"Took you long enough to get here." she feebly teased.

He grinned radiantly and in a soft, joyful yet mischievous voice said:

"I had a bit of trouble."

But before questions and answers could be forthcoming the cat-eyed orbs rolled up and his body went limp. Sakura rushed forward to catch him before he hurt himself, her instincts taking over. She straightened the little body out in front of her with his head in her lap. Her eyes went to plead with the elders for help but were caught on a disturbing image that brought to light many answers.

A tiny piece of the now blackened shell lay to the side of her. The shelf was roughly three inches thick, not something she would have thought that would shatter as it did. Small wonder as to why the Prince…no…Syaoran, was tired. She looked down once again to gaze fully upon his features.

His face was soft with baby fat, his nose straight and a tiny bit snubbed. His large eyes were set in his face with precision and care but were ruined by his bangs hanging in them. Tiny, cute ears could be seen through his dark, soft hair. Except they weren't normal, human ears, they were those of the elves, pointed at the top.

Nothing gave it away that this frail entity possessed colossal Power.

Nothing gave it away that he would someday rise up and changes the world as it were known.

* * *

Well, there you are the hatching of Syaoran Li, Prince of the DragonKin.

This is the longest one yet!

I am proud of this chapter and in a weird sense not. I think I accomplished many things, bringing to life new things, explaining old ones, and leaving enough intrigue to let you keep guessing as to where I plan to take this story. But I also attempted a bit a humor to lighten up the serious setting. I don't think it turned out well seeing as it felt forced. I think I will take a different approach next time.

There is one more chapter that I will post with both of them still under ten and then we will get on to the real plot and story of a love that defies death (sounds very corny doesn't it? My friend read this and I told her what I want to do with the story and she said it was terribly romantic in a subtle, unique way. She described it by the line above. It was really odd because she normally doesn't say things like that. I asked her afterward if she was on her period or was she high on something I didn't know about. Of course she had spent the night over and hadn't left then so I don't know : ) )

Thanks go out to all of my reviewers and readers. I thought the 'Meet the Bad Guys' chapter was a hit or miss but you seemed to like it. Also , Please review, I know FFN made it easy by having a short cut to the Author/Story alert to be alerted when I update (I previously had about sixteen people who had me on their alert list, after the last chapter it shot up to forty), but please review, your comments are greatly appreciated. I really do like to know what my readers think.

Thanks go out to all the people, especially to **Yokaze Yuki**, for proving to me that I wasn't crazy. I was looking for a story called Childhood Crush by Starjade (I thought it was called Childhood Promise and I didn't know who the author was), and you guys really pulled through for me. Thanks so much.

I will now answer two questions that you might have:

**Why is Syaoran black? **Well, I didn't want to make him a brown dragon, like his hair and eyes because brown didn't strike me as a royal color. Don't get me wrong, I respect peoples' favorite colors but when I picture a powerful being, I don't picture him/her/it in the color brown and maybe you'll agree with me. Also black is the presence of all colors as said in the story. That could be an ominous warning but also a big clue. : )

**Why does he have the body of a four year old? **I really don't know why actually. I just thought it made more sense. I mean he is a baby dragon no matter how powerful. He just can't all of a sudden appear as an eight-ten year old, it would make the whole plot corny. I have discovered there is a thin line between cheesy/corny/etc. and serious/dramatic/etc. and doing that would overbalance for the former. Also making Syaoran older, would just make it seemed too planned and too predictable. I like a little intrigue every now and then. If it makes you feel better, I probably will have thought of a reason by the next chapter.

Any more please ask and I will somehow address them next chapter.

Please review!

Ally Lei


End file.
